As anticipation mounts for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, all eyes are on Mumbai Indians’ new skipper, Hardik Pandya. After overcoming an ankle injury, Pandya recently made a successful return to competitive cricket and shared insights into his personal life and social media detachment.
Following his injury during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Pandya was absent from international cricket, leaving fans eager for his return. Traded from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians, Pandya assumed the role of captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma. His comeback on the cricket field occurred during the DY Patil T20 Cup 2024 at DY Patil Stadium, marking his first competitive match post-injury.
In a recent chat show appearance, Pandya revealed his preference for a low-key lifestyle, describing himself as a “homeboy.” He disclosed that he rarely ventures out, enjoying the comforts of home with his home gym and theater. Addressing a viral photo of him driving a sports car, Pandya clarified that it was sent for a test drive, emphasizing his indifference to media comments:
“One thing my fans don’t know about me is that I don’t go out. I am a homeboy. I have hardly been out in the last three to four years; the only occasions I have stepped out is when it has been unavoidable, something happened with my friends. I like to stay at home. There was this time when I did not step out of home for 50 days. I did not even see the home lift, I have my home gym and home theatre. The things that I like are in my home.” He said.
Hardik said he stays away from media comments and it does not bother him. “Main kabhi media mein comment karta nahi hu, to maine kabhi kia nahi, na mereko fadak padta hai (I don’t comment in media, I have never done it, it does not bother me),” he stated.
Reflecting on a humorous incident regarding the ‘Man of the Match’ award, Pandya admitted his initial misconception that the recipient receives all the prize money:
“I thought a player who is awarded as man of the match receives all the money. So when I won the MOM, I thought that the money was for me, but then I learned that it gets divided among the team. After all, it is a team sport.” The all-rounder clarified.
With the BCCI releasing the IPL schedule for the first 21 matches, Mumbai Indians are slated to play their opening game against Pandya’s former team, Gujarat Titans, on March 24 in Ahmedabad.